Myanmar Airways International – An airline with perfect safety record

By Zaw Min

            AirlineRatings.com, a one-stop airline safety and product rating review website delivers safety ratings for more than 435 airlines around the world. AirlineRatings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world a one-stop-shop for everything related to airlines, it was formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world.

            Recently Myanmar Airways International has been awarded the highest 7-star safety ranking from AirlineRatings.com. The rating was awarded due to a recent audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of Myanmar’s oversight of its airlines.

            ICAO was created to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, and regularity, as well as for aviation environmental protection.

Myanmar Airways International has a perfect safety record in the modern era and is an IOSA – the International Air Transport Association Operation Safety Audit – audited airline. MAI is the only recipient in Myanmar of the IATA Operational Safety Audit Program (IOSA) Operator. IOSA was first introduced in 2003 to curb the disturbing trend in airline accidents that could be attributed to simple processes and maintenance programs. Since it was introduced airlines that have completed IOSA have up to a three-fold safer safety record than airlines that do not do the audit.

The ICAO’s 32nd General Assembly in 1998 adopted a resolution to begin implementing the USOAP (Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme) from 1999. The programme was verified under the comprehensive systems approach for audit (CSA) in 2010. That same year, the ICAO conducted checks at airlines of member countries under the continuous monitoring approach (CMA) for the development of capacity and safety of the airlines. Myanmar passed the verification of the ICAO’s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme in 2010. At the time, the ICAO team had asked Myanmar’s Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) to take some actions. In 2013, the team visited Myanmar to follow-up on the action taken on suggestions made by the ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM). Myanmar passed with effective implementation (EI) of 65.92 per cent.

ICAO conducted a safety audit in Myanmar from 10 to 21 December 2018, under the ICAO’s USOAP. This visit was the third time an ICAO team conducts verification under the CMA in Myanmar and it was after this audit that Myanmar Airways International has been awarded the highest 7-star safety ranking from AirlineRatings.com.

            The predecessor to MAI was Union of Burma Airways (UBA) founded by the government in 1948. UBA initially operated domestic services only but added limited international services to neighboring destinations in 1950. The name was changed to Burma Airways in 1972 and then to Myanma Airways in 1989 after the country was renamed from Burma to Myanmar. International services of Myanma Airways were transferred to MAI which was set up in 1993.

            MAI was created as a joint venture between Myanma Airways and a Singapore based company. It had a management team of many former Singapore Airlines personnel and starts its services with a new Boeing aircraft, all-expatriate cockpit crews and improved training for flight attendants. In 2002 the airline obtained a new International Air Transport Association (IATA) airline designator codes and joined both IATA Multilateral Interline Traffic Agreement (MITA) and IATA Clearing House. In 2010 the KBZ group obtained an 80% share of MAI making it a local company and by 2014 MAI became a 100% complete member of the KBZ Group, a Myanmar national owned private company.

            In addition to being a member of IATA Clearing House and IATA MITA, and the only recipient in Myanmar of the IATA Operational Safety Audit Program (IOSA) Operator. MAI has been awarded “2014 ASEAN Business Awards” as the National Winner (Myanmar) for Most Admired ASEAN Enterprise, ASEAN Centricity by ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC).

            MAI aircrafts were operated by an internationally experienced team of skilled personnel. Safety and comfort of passengers have always been its first priority and to this date MAI has been able to keep 100% safety and accident free record in its aviation history and record book.

            In July 2012, MAI signed agreement with Air France Industries for maintenance & engineering services, technical assistance on-site training and component support services. In April 2013, MAI has signed a code share and partnership memorandum of understanding the Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, in January 2014 signed a code share agreement with Malaysia Airlines. In November 2014 signed a code share agreement with Garuda Indonesia and in May 2017 signed a code share agreement with Sri Lankan Airlines. MAI and Royal Brunei Airlines also signed a code share agreement that came into effect on December 2017.

            MAI flies between Yangon and Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Gaya, Kolkata and between Mandalay and Bangkok. MAI started its charter flight to Korea and Japan in March 2013.

Nature of overtourism and its management Hnin Lei (Tourism)

Nature of overtourism and its management

Hnin Lei (Tourism)

Meaning of overtourism

The word overtourism is very popular in the today’s countries with developed tourism industry. Overtourism is interrelated with the word overcrowding which means larger arrivals of tourists at a destination or one site than the carrying capacity. In fact, overtourism is a bad impact of tourism industry with minus attitude for lifestyle of local people from a designation and tour experience of travellers.

Reward or penalty

Fame may be a reward or a penalty in tourism industry. It means that if a tourist destination is popular among the travellers, advantages will emerge there with larger number of visitors to the destination, development of infrastructures, more employment opportunities and improvement of social economic status of the local people. On one hand, local people may face degradation of destinations based on larger number of tourists more than the carrying capacity, gradual degradation of natural environments, interference of tourists in privacy of the locals, fear of arrivals of globetrotters, and tourism phobia with regard to the fame of destination.

Root causes of overtourism

The fame is one of the root causes for visits of larger number of tourists than the carrying capacity at a destination. It is because it may be based on placing emphasis on quantity of tourists more than the qualification, running of many cheap airlines, lack of good tourism policies and plentiful of online travel agent-OTA.

The countries suffering impacts of overtourism

The places with much overtourism are the most interesting and the largest arrivals of tourists. Impacts of overtourism vary in countries and destinations. The countries suffering from impacts of overtourism are facing the locals opposing tourism services, lack of capacity to perfectly meet the needs of tourists, mushrooming of infrastructures, and threats to cultural heritages. For example, major tour cities in Europe such as Amsterdam, Barcelona and Venice have adopted and are implementing the new policies for tourism industry in order to control the overtourism because of growing number of tourist arrivals year after year. Moreover, the Maya Beach in Thailand which was famous due to the film The Beach was recently closed as it needed to make repairs for deterioration of ecosystem although number of tourist arrival was high.

The Borocay Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines. The Travel+Leisure honoured the beach as the best beach in 2012. Although the beach scored more than 2 million of tourist arrivals, weak management and acts of globetrotters caused degradation to environment, damage to beauties of the beach by undisciplined littering of tourists. That was why the beach restricted travelling for six months to be able to repair the damaged. Consequently, those relying on the beach faced disadvantages of businesses. At the same time, incomes earned from tourism industry declined in the Philippines. However, the Philippines government reduced flights from airlines, performed educative programmes for ensuring responsible tourists and sustainable destinations and kept garbage vans for systematic littering.

Likewise, tourist arrivals are increasing in the Republic of Korea year by year. Number of tourist arrivals hit 13 million in the country in 2017. In this regard, the overtourism happened in Bukchon Hanok Village of the Republic of Korea. In fact, Bukchon is a peaceful and tranquil village grouping Korean traditional houses. At the village, travellers would have the opportunities of hiring Korean traditional costumes to wondering around traditional houses and observe traditional culture and customs of Korea. Thus, Bukchon Hanok Village became the best travelling area. Initially, local people accepted the visits of travellers but they opposed the tourism industry without welcoming the tourists by erecting signboards bearing “Tourists, go home”, and “Your tourism kills my neighbourhood”. Mainly, acts of tourists harmed freedom of locals because of increasing prices of land plots and rental charges in the village, noisy of guests, and undisciplined acts.

At present, the Korean government implements the bilaterally convenient programmes between the locals and tourists with the limited number of tourist arrivals to the village, and with the appointment of volunteers to remind the tourists in order to notice directives of “Silence here” for hushing and peacefully visiting. Moreover, the Korean government is using various ways and means for solving the problems by searching new destinations and by holding the meetings on coordination for overtourism.

How to control overtourism

The United Nations World Tourism Organization showed the lists that number of international tourists reached 1.4 billion in 2018 and it expected that number of tourists may reach 1.8 billion in 2030. As the tourism industry is the third largest export service of the world, it creates 10.4 percent of global Gross Domestic Products through direct or indirect moves. Global countries emphasize uplift of tourism industry because the business ensures creation of employment opportunities and development of State economy. Hence, those countries competitively manage to develop the tourism industry for catching interest of tourists in order to increase number of tourist arrivals. However, some countries are facing burdens of overtourism, rather than the carrying capacity. The UNWTO, therefore, has adopted and is implementing the tactics for solving the problems of overtourism the most of the countries face. In so doing-

Searching new tourist destinations and new package tours, and enhancement of visits of travellers

Larger number of travellers than the limited causes a massive influx of tourists to significant places in these countries. In order to solve such a problem, the overtourism can be reduced in these countries by searching new interesting destinations in the countries rather than allowing the visits of tourists to only significant places, by informing the foreign tourists about new destinations, and by beefing up the management for travellers to touring the new sites.

Reviewing situations, rules and laws of tourism industry

If overtourism happens in destinations at home, the government needs to review travel time for tourists to the main destinations, set acceptable number of tourists in relevant destinations and enactment of effective laws and rules for reducing impacts from the overtourism. For example, a total of 1.4 million of international tourists paid visits to Machu Picchu recognized as the world’s ancient cultural monument by the UNESCO in Peru in 2016. As from July 2017, the tourism authority of Peru launched the new policy for tourists to book tickets for visiting the monument in one of two sessions which were the morning session from 6 am to 12 noon or the afternoon session from 12 noon to 5.30 pm through the designated routes with the aim of preventing influx of tourists into a single place.

Letting local people know benefits from tourism industry and cooperate with the authorities

The key players to achieve success in tourism industry are local people.  Their keenness in tourism services, heartily welcome to tourists, and clarification on relevant regions to travellers are directly related to the development of tourism industry of the region. As such, local people are allowed to know benefits of tourism industry, to participate in tourism management, and to carry out appropriate moves in line with their wishes in order to beef up participation and cooperation of local people in the tourism industry.

Tourism industry in Myanmar

As Myanmar is full of cultural heritages and environmental heritages, Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan and Inlay are the regions of scoring the highest number of international tourist arrivals. As Myanmar has been practising the open door economic system since 2012, number of tourist arrivals is still high remarkably. A total of 3.55 million of international tourists paid visits to Myanmar in 2018 but such a number is still fewer than those of neighbouring countries. Thus, the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism showed advertisements of tourism services from Myanmar at international tour shows in order to increase number of tourist arrivals and supervised appointment of tour ambassadors to promote digital marketing of tourism services in Myanmar by catching interest of international tourists through social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Moreover, the government allowed visa exemption for those from Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Macao starting from 1 October 2018 to ensure inflow of larger travellers from East Asian countries to Myanmar.

According to the Myanmar Tourism Rules enacted on 17 September 2018, regional tourism work committees led by the relevant Region/State Chief Ministers need to take more responsibilities for management of tourist destinations and supervision of businesses related to the tourism industry. As these work committees should observe actual situations of existing destinations and tourism services in their respective areas, they need to create the chances for local people to enjoy fruitful results from the tourism industry while managing necessities to emerge sustainable tourism services which will serve the interest of the people and not to cause undesirable barriers for tourism industry such as overtourism in their destinations.

All in all, it needs to make utmost efforts for emergence of the sustainable tourism industry to be able to inflow globetrotters to the country in developing Myanmar’s tourism industry through various ways and means. Taking lessons from experiences of the countries which face the bad impacts of overtourism and management for destinations to have greater development, Myanmar should place emphasis on creating chances for international travellers to visit destinations in satisfaction, development of social economic status of the people, pleasantness of interesting destinations, and long term development of Myanmar’s tourism industry. That is why all need to join hands among them for ensuring sustainable tourism in the future in line with the motto “Let’s join to develop State tourism industry in the long run”.

Translated by Than Tun Aung

Reference:

-          UNWTO e-library (2018), “Overtourism-Understanding and Managing Urban Tourism Growth beyond Perceptions”

-          Reuters (2018), “Overtourism: Philippines restricts visits to tourist island Borocay”, Times of Manila

-          Da-min, Jung and Min-ho, Jung (2018), “Bukchon residents protect excessive tourism”, The Korea Times

Natma Taung ASEAN Heritage Park

Maung Yin Kyay

Natma Taung ASEAN Heritage Park

Maung Yin Kyay

            Natma Taung known locally as Khaw Nu M’ Cong and in the past as Mt. Victoria is situated in southern Chin State Mindat, Matupi and Kanpetlet townships covering an area of 275.35 sq. miles (176,202 acres) at an altitude of more than 10,200 ft. above sea level. The area covered with mountain mists contains Buran (Rhodondendron arboretum) tree that produces the state flower of Chin State, Cherry and pine trees.

            Natma Taung had more than 800 tree species and is an area where degradation of natural environment was kept at a minimum level. Surveys found 23 amphibians, 65 reptiles and 77 butterfly species as well as rare cats, bear, mountain goats, pangolins, monkeys and the region’s own White-browed Nuthatch as well as 289 different species of birds.

            Natma Taung had become a national park in 2010 and numbers of visitors reached the peak number during the New Year transiting from 2018 to 2019.

            This Christmas and the New Year was the time when most visitors came to our Kanpetlet town. Visitors came under the arrangement of travel companies as well as on their own. People from nearby areas of Magway, Minbu and Pakokku also came by motorcycles. About 1,500 visitors came every day. The majority stay in Kanpetlet at an elevation of more than 4,500 ft. and then climb the Natma Taung. So the six hotels in Kanpetlet hotel zone as well as motels and inns were always full of visitors. Some stay in their friends or relatives houses too said a Kanpetlet local Chin ethnic national Ko Ki Nine.

            Even before 4 a.m. in the chilling misty morning, Kanpetlet came to life with the sounds of cars and motorcycles warming up to start the journey up Natma Taung. Cars were permitted up to the 10 mile station at an altitude of 9,000 ft. above sea level and from there on the area became a restricted national park area where no cars except for specially permitted one were allowed. Visitors can proceed to the top of the mountain by foot or by motorcycles.

            Most of the visitors hike up the mountain while enjoying the natural beauty and the sounds of the birds. Some women and children who prefer an easier way up and down took a motorcycle ride offered by the locals at Ks 5,000 for ascent and Ks 5,000 for descent. This bike ride had its fair share of accidents resulting in scratches, cuts and bruises but still those who want to take the motorcycle ride were always more than the available motorcycles so there was a considerable waiting time. Locals from Kanpetlet area were also gaining a sizable income from this.

            The path to the top of the mountain from 10 mile station was about 3 miles 4 furlong long and there were no shops or stalls along the way so it is important for visitors to bring along sufficient food and water. The hike up the mountain took about three to five hours and those who attempt it need to have enough stamina to complete it.

            However, all along the way was irresistible photo ops and for most who attempted the way up would find the hike well worth it.

            Rhodondendron flower, the Chin State national flower is normally red in colour and can be found all along the mountain path but beyond an elevation of 10,000 ft. rare white and yellow colour flowers can also be found. Locals were said to have produce wines from their national flower.

            To preserve the state flower from extinction, Forest Department had strictly prohibited peoples from picking the flowers or even breaking off the branch of the tree. This was a timely conservatory move. Forest Department had also started a campaign on reducing usage of plastics and had setup trash bins along the way. However, it was a sorrowful sight to see discarded plastic bags and water bottles littering many locations along the path. It looks like more still need to be done.

            Just past the 9,000 ft. elevation is a small ice covered pond measuring 20 ft. by 15 ft. attracting visitors taking pictures and inspecting it.

            It was a unique experience to walk the natural path surrounded by small bamboo clusters and shrubs and all the tiredness was taken away by the splendid sight awaiting the climbers at the mountain top.

            Natma Taung region situated at an elevation above 10,000 ft. is not a proud natural heritage for Myanmar only but also for ASEAN region as well. Visitors coming by car to the area from all over Myanmar must pass through Kazunma town at the junction of Pathein-Monywa road in Magway Region Seikpyu Township to Saw town where all will stop briefly before ascending up the road to Kanpetlet town at an elevation of 4,500 ft. through breath taking sights.

            At Kanpetlet, they’ll be entertained by old Chin women with tattoos on their cheek who’ll play the pipe with their noses! They can also buy Chin clothes weaved in traditional looms as souvenir. In the evening they can enjoy traditional Chin moon shine liquor and Gayal meat pounded together with chillies beside a born fire. Gayals from Chin mountain ranges belong to the same species (Gavarus) of bison and banteng. These beasts were usually bred for meat and could also be found living in the wild between 2,000 and 10,000 feet above sea level.

            All are invited to come and enjoy these as well as the natural beauty of Natma Taung. – translated by Handytips

Ywangan that I’ve been to

Ywangan that I’ve been to

By Ye Yint Aung (Geology)

            I went on a field survey with geology students in 2017 to Ywangan Region in Danu Self Administered Zone. Ywangan town is at an elevation of 4,028 ft. above sea level. It was formed with 28 village tracts and had a population of more than 82,000. It was in Shan State south and can be reached from Aungban-Pindaya road junction. As Ywangan town was surrounded by unspoilt natural beauties it was considered as a virgin land. It is a land where peace and tranquillity prevails.

To Ywangan we go

            Hinthada geology field survey group led by Dr. Kyaw Lin Zaw went to Ywangan Region by rail from Yangon Station. We entered Shan State south passing through Thazi and Yinmabin. As we entered Shan State the temperature became cooler. The rail track twist and turns after passing Kalaw and after about half an hour, we reached our disembarkation station in Aungban. Aungban Station to Ywangan was a 42 miles car ride that took us through natural scenes of mountains and hills as well as some pagodas. Euclid trees were all along the road side occasionally dotted by some farm lands. We passed through several big villages such as Myin Twin, Myinjado and Phayagyigon and reaches Ywangan after a car ride of about an hour.

Alechaung Village – our base camp

            The geology field survey group set up a base camp at Alechaung Village. It is situated on the west of the Pindaya mountain range. The majority of the villagers were Danu and they were a very friendly and simple people. Of the 135 ethnic nationals in Myanmar, the Danus are the tenth most populous and were one of the ethnic nationals that had lived in Myanmar for the longest time. Danu National Day was held annually on the 8^th Waxing Day of Nattaw. Bama, Pa-O and Palaung in addition to Danu lived in the region. Mountains and hills lies on the east of the village while farmlands and plains are on the west of the village. Every five days, there is a market and access to food was very convenient and easy.

The village had two monasteries, named simply North Monastery and South Monastery. Geology field survey group from Pathein had setup their base camp in the North Monastery so our Hinthada Group setup our base camp in the South Monastery. In addition to having access to electricity and water, the South Monastery has a football field that became football practicing ground for our survey students.

            The village is a liquor free area where sale and consumption was not made. Villagers were devote Buddhists and the time was when a donation ceremony was being held for young boys becoming novice monks. We were invited to enjoy the food donation made for the occasion which runs for a whole week and villagers from nearby villages were also invited.

Agriculture products of the region

            Agriculture was the main mean of livelihood in Ywangan region. Fruits and vegetables such as orange, tomato, cabbage, ginger, avocado etc. were grown but the main products were coffee and tea. Coffee and tea plantations are the usual sight seen at entrance of every village. Ywangan coffee has become known in the world for its quality and was reported to have achieved a Geographical Indication (GI), the same designation that protects the Champagne region in France from copycats. Ywangan coffee beans are of the Costa Rican variety and are grown as a substitute for poppy. The coffee is currently rated at a level of 85 in the global market under the recommendations from American Coffee Specialists. Any grade of 80 or above is considered a specialty coffee. Out of 125 villages in Ywangan Township, about 90 are engaged in coffee plantation with 7,300 acres of coffee farms.

Field survey starts

            The field survey starts by studying geological layouts of the area near Alechaung Village. One day, the field survey team conducted a survey of rock formations on Yasakyi Mountain that was on the east of the village. It was the highest mountain in the area where the survey was conducted rising to a height of 6,860 ft. The mountain rises above us imposingly as we reached the foot of the mountain where we took a brief rest before hiking up. We left the village in the morning and we reached the summit of the mountain only at noon. Although the hike up the mountain was tedious and time consuming, the sight waiting at the summit was breathtaking. All the mountains in the area were below us except for some higher peaks of Shan State that were visible afar. Every hiking enthusiast should hike up Yasakyi Mountain near Alechaung Village in Ywangan Township to enjoy the view from the summit as well as the hike up and down the mountain.

Well known areas in the vicinity

            There were many well known areas in the region. To the south of Ywangan Town lies Meinmaye Thakhinma Mountain. There are stairways to the pagoda on top that will take about 15 minutes to climb up.

            Myathabeik Blue Water Pond and Tawkye waterfall is near Tawkye Village. Blue Water Pond was teeming with small shops selling local products such as herbs, local food, honey, flowers and gift items. There was no scientific explanation made yet for the water in the pond being blue but locals believe that it was the reflection of an emerald bowl (Myathabeik in Myanmar language) at the bottom of the pond. Local superstition was such that littering, washing with the water in the pond, taking water from the pond was not done while care was taken of not speaking any word that can be deemed as offensive or rude.

            20-minute walk from Blue Water Pond will take you to Tawkye waterfall. The water in the pond at the bottom of the waterfall was so clear that fish can be seen swimming in it.

            There was even a waterfall right near Alechaung Village. It was a fall that goes down 11 steps or levels. During the time when the waterfall was at its highest flow of water volume, there were considerable numbers of visitors visiting it.

Pyadalin Cave in Ywangan Township is another famous cave. There are in fact two caves the smaller one amount to being a rock shelter while the larger one had nine chambers connected by narrow passages. Three large sink holes bring in natural light into the cave. This cave contains an impressive amount of history reportedly dating back to the Neolithic era. The two caves were only 30 meters apart from one another and some of the earliest wall carvings and paintings in Myanmar were found here along with weapons made of bones and stones by primitive people. According to Wikipedia a superficial investigation of the caves had been performed by American South-East Expedition for Early Man in 1937-1938 and geologist U Khin Maung Kyaw discovered the paintings in 1960. The site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on 4 October 1996 in the Cultural category.

Another unique place is the Yephyu Waterhole near Tatkon Village, Kyantaw Village Tract. It is located southwest of Alechaung Village. The water from this waterhole was not clear but white in color, hence the name Yephyu which mean white water. Locals say bathing with the water from this waterhole eases aches and itches. The place is indeed a virgin area.

The highest peak in Shan State, 7,752 ft. high Ashay Myin Anauk Myin Mountain is also in Ywangan. Taunggyi town can be seen looking toward the east from the summit. Looking west, Meiktila town can be seen too. South of the mountain lies 7,307 ft. high Moelonehein Mountain and to the north lies 7,203 ft. high Pansitpway Mountain. The Ashay Myin Anauk Myin Mountain is home to rare flowers as well as birds and animal species. The summit of the mountain can be reached either from Ywangan side or Pindaya side. The mountain was located about 6 miles southwest of Alechaung Village.

Another significant place is a small pillar marking the place where ash of Colonel Ba Htoo was buried. Major Ba Htoo at that time led the fight against the Japanese in upper Myanmar in 1945. The plan was for the Myanmar army under General Aung San to revolt against the Japanese in end March but Major Ba Htoo declared unilateral war against the Japanese on early March diverting attention from General Aung San who led the entire Myanmar army uprising at a later date. Major Ba Htoo’s action contributed toward driving the Japanese fascist forces out of the country but he succumbed to a severe case of malaria. The plaque on the pillar simply stated “Martyr hero Colonel Ba Htoo passed away on 8:10 p.m. 2 June 1945 in Ywangan Township Telu Village. His ashes were buried here.” It was reported that when Major Ba Htoo passed away, he never knew of his promotion to colonel by General Aung San. A monument honouring Colonel Ba Htoo was put up in Aungban but the small pillar in front of Telu Village Basic Education Primary School was the spot where his ashes were buried. Even though it was a considerable walk through humid valley and over a rickety bamboo bridge across a river, we took the long walk to honor and salute our martyr hero.

I was there as part of a geological field survey but I would have gladly made the trip as a tourist to enjoy again all that I’ve seen and been to in Ywangan region. – Translated by Handytips